Choosing Your First Sleeping Bag: A Beginner’s Guide

Choosing Your First Sleeping Bag: A Beginner’s Guide

Heading out on your first bivouac adventure can be exciting, but the right gear is essential for a comfortable and enjoyable experience. A good sleeping bag is one of the most important items. Here's a simple guide to help you choose the perfect sleeping bag as a beginner.

Step 1: Understanding Temperature Indices

Freetime sleeping bags are all tested by an independent laboratory according to the European standard EN ISO 23537-1. The results of this test indicate 3 temperatures to be taken into account as follows:

• Comfort temperature: The temperature at which you will have a good night's sleep, in a relaxed position, without feeling cold.
• Limit Temperature: The lowest temperature at which the bag will maintain thermal equilibrium for a user in the fetal position.
• Extreme temperature: In an emergency only, the sleeping bag will allow you to survive for a few hours, but with a strong feeling of cold and risks of frostbite and hypothermia.

Please note that this test only gives an average view of the performance of sleeping bags. Like everyone, you have your own sensitivity to the cold when sleeping, and this sensitivity changes depending on the surrounding conditions: humidity level, wind, altitude, etc. It also changes depending on how tired you are, and whether you are hungry or thirsty.

Tip: Find out what nighttime temperatures you can expect during your expedition. Always choose a sleeping bag based on its comfort temperature . You can adjust it depending on whether you are sensitive to the cold or not, or according to the expected weather conditions.

Step 2: Choosing Between Synthetic Filling and Feathers

• Synthetic : Cheaper, easy to clean, and retains its insulation even in wet conditions. Ideal for all users thanks to its versatility.
• Feathers (down) : Lightweight and compressible, perfect for backpacking. However, it loses its insulating power in wet conditions. To overcome this problem, the down selected by Freetime is treated with a hydrophobic coating — PFC/PFAS-free treatment to respect the environment.

Step 3: Choose the Right Shape

Sleeping bags come in two main shapes:

• Rectangular: Spacious and comfortable, but more bulky. Ideal for camping, vanlife and car expeditions. It can also be useful at home for last-minute guests, and cocooning alone or with a partner!
• Mummy: Closer to the body, it retains heat better. Perfect for hiking, trekking and expeditions, it will easily slip into your backpack thanks to its compactness.

Step 4: Consider Weight and Compressibility

For backpacking, weight and compressibility are important. Down bags are lighter and more compressible, although modern synthetic bags have made great strides in these areas.

Step 5: Look for Special Features

Additional features can enhance your sleep experience:

• Zipper: A two-way zipper is convenient for easy opening from the inside and outside. The ability to open the bag only at the feet also helps regulate comfort when the temperature is too high.
• Hood: A hood helps keep your head warm on cold nights.
• Internal pockets: Practical for keeping a flashlight or phone close at hand.

Step 6: Care and Maintenance

To ensure the durability and performance of your sleeping bag:

• Storage: Do not store it compressed. Hang it or keep it in a large bag.
• Cleaning: Follow the manufacturer's instructions. Feather bags generally require special care compared to synthetic bags. It is best to limit the number of times you wash your sleeping bags to maintain the loft of their filling, whether synthetic or natural. Be careful, use specialized detergents, not Marseille soap , and never fabric softener!
  After washing, it is important that the bag is completely dry before being stored.
• Protect your sleeping bag: using a sleeping bag liner , also called a sleeping bag liner, limits the number of times you wash your sleeping bag; you only wash the liner. They come in cotton, polyester, fleece, silk, etc. And depending on the material of the liner, they also improve thermal performance by several degrees.

Choosing the right sleeping bag can be simple. By understanding key features like temperature rating, fill type and shape, you can make an informed choice that suits your style. A good sleeping bag can turn a good trip into an exceptional one by ensuring a good night's sleep.

Great adventure, and good night!